Quint: Selection Sunday Q&A, Reaction

Selection Sunday marks the end and a new beginning. We say goodbye to Virginia, Princeton, Drexel, Villanova and Johns Hopkins. We welcome Bryant, Towson, Detroit and Albany to the Big Dance. This is a great moment for them. This group of 16 is representative of the changes that are going on within the sport. Complain all you want about Detroit being in the tournament. I love it. Without this inclusion, teams like Marquette, Boston University and Michigan don't add lacrosse. Someday maybe even Louisville will be in the bracket.

It is important that fans understand that this bracket of 16 isn't the top 16 teams in the country. It's eight automatic qualifiers and the next best eight at-large selections. They seed just 1-8. This committee did the best job possible slotting teams 9-16 in the appropriate spots — maintaining as close to a 1-16 model as they could. Well done.

My only complaint with this very rigid and computer generated bracket is that is lacks a mechanism for sliding hot and cold teams a spot or two in either direction. There should be allowance made for UNC's hot streak. While I agree that their overall profile is a No. 5, their recent play deserves higher.

IL: What's important to know right now?

QK: Who got in. Who didn't.

Loyola got in. Bucknell didn't.

Cornell got in, but isn't hosting a game.

Penn State is hosting.

Ohio State got a three seed, North Carolina fell to No. 5. The Buckeyes host Towson; Heels host Lehigh.

Syracuse and Notre Dame will be large favorites in their match-ups.

IL: What was the biggest surprise?

QK: Ohio State moving to No. 3 is significant. They finished on a tear, climbing up the RPI ratings. Loyola and Cornell stumbled in their league tournaments and now must pay the piper. The Loyola at Duke game and the Cornell at Maryland game are worthy of Championship weekend. These are must-see games.

IL: Who got snubbed?

QK: Bucknell has the strongest resume of the non-participants. But this is nothing compared to the 1996 snub of the undefeated Bison in favor of an Army team they beat.

Penn, Princeton and Drexel are the next best teams to be bypassed in 2013.

Hopkins and Virginia will use May as a reflective month, soul searching for solutions. Both programs must evolve if they are going to maintain their status as the sports elite. As my yoga instructor sister Kyle likes to remind me: "The moments between poses of breathing, thinking and peace are more important than the actual poses themselves."

IL: First round, what are the games that intrigue you?

QK: Lehigh at North Carolina. Yale at Penn State. Loyola at Duke. Cornell at Maryland.

Lehigh and UNC are both playing well right now. Both had a bye week. Mountain Hawk coach Kevin Cassese has his roots at Duke; he understands what it'll take to beat the Heels. UNC will feel slighted at No. 5. Grab any form of motivation you can.

Penn State and Yale are mirror images. Both have lost four games by five total goals. Both face off well. Both play at a slow tempo. Both defend very well. Both have attackmen who do the majority of the scoring. Both are well led but lack playoff winning experience.

IL: Who is ripe to be upset?

QK: To answer that question, you've got to go watch practice all week and see who isn't mentally locked-in. The one trend we've seen in recent years is that teams who have cake-walks in the first round, don't play well in the quarterfinals.

Teams who try to re-invent themselves, or change their personalities, usually make an early exit. "You have come so far, stay true to who you are."

IL: How many of the 16 teams can really win the title?

QK: It would surprise me if Detroit, Towson and Bryant won the title. Everybody else is in play. Yale hasn't won a playoff game since 1992 but they have the components to make a run.

IL: What are Penn State's chances?

QK: I was surprised that PSU, after an outstanding 12-win season and a 10-game win streak, got tripped up by Towson in the CAA finals. What a wake-up call it was.

Coach Jeff Tambroni was 6-2 at Cornell in the NCAA first round. He led the 2009 Big Red to the NCAA finals.

Stop under-estimating Yale. Coach Andy Shay has won back-to-back Ivy titles. The Bulldogs have a keen sense of self. Face-off man Dylan Levings, attackman Brandon Mangan and a veteran defense are the main cogs.

IL: Who will make the difference between Loyola and Duke?

QK: Former walk-on Brendan Fowler has been outstanding for Duke at the face-off X, especially in the fourth quarter. Fowler is winning 73.8 percent of his draws in the fourth quarter compared to 54.7 in the first quarter. Loyola had some face-off issues against Ohio State.

IL: Maryland started fast but struggled late in the year prior to Saturday's win over Colgate. What do you expect from the Terps?

QK: Experience is a vital team strength. They've won these games before. They've made back-to-back trips to the finals. They know what it takes.

Maryland averaged 15 goals a game in their first six games. In the next six games, just 7.5. The Terp offense needs more movement. They need more attack presence. Teams aren't going behind the goal and letting their two-man games work. Their transition from defense to offense has been slowed. Cornell is very capable of double-poling Mike Chanenchuk and John Haus.

IL: What are Bryant's strengths?

QK: Three areas jump out at me:

Coaching: Mike Pressler is a proven winner. Face-offs: Kevin Massa, leads the country at 71%. And Transition offense from long pole Mason Poli who has 14 goals and 8 assists entering the first round. Bryant started 0-7, but is 8-3 since.

IL: What should fans know about Towson?

Second-year coach Shawn Nadelen has done a masterful job, turning the Tigers into a winning program. After dropping their last five games of 2012, they opened this season with an eye-popping loss to High Point. It was the low point.

Towson is now 10-7. They had a four-game win streak in the middle of the season, beating UMBC, Delaware, Hofstra and UMass. They are on a three-game win streak, avenging losses to Drexel and Penn State, while winning the CAA AQ, their new high point. They are a story of continual improvement, and of hard work, sacrifice, and discipline being rewarded.

Junior Thomas DeNapoli (41G,18A) was moved from midfield to attack. The Lynbrook lefty, and he really, really is lefty, gives the Tigers an athletic wing and X dodger who can bury mid-range missiles. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wascavage (.608%) can and will stand toe-to-toe with more heralded goalies like Poillon, Kaut, Kemp and Ward.

The Tigers' last playoff win was in 2003. This will be their 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and have an overall record of 7-10. Towson has reached the finals once (1991), and made a the semifinal run in 2001 for then coach Tony Seaman. They are a dangerous foe for an Ohio State team that suddenly is cast in the role of playoff favorite, a costume this team has never worn.

IL: How does the bracket impact the Tewaaraton race?

QK: The Tewaaraton is the last thing on my mind right now. But if Albany (Lyle Thompson), Cornell (Rob Pannell) and North Carolina (Marcus Holman) all trip up early, it'll get very interesting. For as well as Lyle and Rob Pannell have played, another win may be necessary. Out of mind, out of sight. If they fall, look for Carc to push Jojo Marasco. I love you Carc, but that was too easy.

IL: What games are you covering in the first round?

QK: I will be in the studio supporting all eight games on Saturday and Sunday. The first game each day will be on ESPN2. We may have some special guests in the studio with me and Anish.

Quint Kessenich can be followed on twitter @QKessenich. His sister is a Bikram Yoga instructor in Baltimore.